


only human

by silverfoxflower



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: F/M, Introspection, Post-Mission
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-07
Updated: 2014-09-07
Packaged: 2018-02-16 10:36:02
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 461
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2266536
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/silverfoxflower/pseuds/silverfoxflower
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sam and Natasha learn the joy of being able to say "to hell with it".</p>
            </blockquote>





	only human

Sam. Laughs. 

The sky is in explosions above him, the bright blue blotted out with grey and sharp orange. His ear's still ringing, echoed by the rhythmic pulse of pain emanating from the bottom of his skull where it had bounced on the concrete two seconds ago. Five feet away, yet another pair of wings lay twisted and shattered. In pieces. 

"What’s so funny?" Natasha asks, climbing shakily to her knees. She has grit in her hair and blood on her cheek. Sam raises a hand to brush it away, but he's too far to make contact. 

The comm in Sam’s ear buzzes in and out. Civilians successfully contained. No anticipated casualties. The threat has been eliminated. They have saved the world. Again. They did it. They did it. 

"We’re human," Sam says, his laughter slowing as he watches the explosions burst like fireworks. "We are so, so human. Why do we do it, man? We must be crazy." 

"I think you have a concussion," Natasha says, but she sounds amused as she moves towards him and gently presses her hand against his forehead. Her palm feels cool. 

"You’re probably right," Sam says with a wince. "You probably should tape up your ribs." 

"That left ankle isn’t looking too good." 

"You got a little something," Sam gestures to his temple, where Natasha is bleeding sluggishly. 

They grin at each other as the smoke slowly starts to thin over the city. 

"Come on," Sam thumps the concrete beside him. "Lie with me."

"Not like there’s anywhere else to be." Natasha says dryly, but she curls up gingerly against his side, not quite touching him but the tips of her hair brushing against his cheek. 

"After this, I think I want to take a nice, long vacation." Sam says, closing his eyes. "Somewhere beachy." 

It had been raining earlier that morning. Sam remembers the rain stinging like needles against his skin as he zipped in and out of the clouds, trying to avoid the missiles, trying to lead them away. The water had run into his eyes, slicked his blood into his mouth, made his entire body feel _heavy_ and _slow_. 

Just one of the reasons for his many near-death experiences that day. 

Now the sun was high in the sky, but the pavement still smelled of it. The cloying earthiness of rain. 

"A desert maybe." Sam says, still feeling the damp of his uniform chafing against his skin. "The Grand Canyon. California." 

Natasha laughs, her breath warm against Sam’s cheek. “Think bigger, Sam. International. Somewhere where they won’t recognize us.” She curls her fingers around Sam’s wrist, her fingers brushing over his pulse. “That way we can pretend to be human for a while.” 

Above them, finally, the sun begins to shine.

**Author's Note:**

> [more fics](http://actualmenacebuckybarnes.tumblr.com/tagged/myfic) can be found on [my tumblr](http://actualmenacebuckybarnes.tumblr.com)!


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